


Set My Soul Alight

by Beltenebra



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment, KAT-TUN (Band), NewS - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, M/M, Slow Burn, glitter rock, hurricane Tegoshi, leather pants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-07-14 07:47:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7160636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beltenebra/pseuds/Beltenebra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Music is a harsh mistress, but not as difficult as some.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Set My Soul Alight

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for Je_fqfest 2010. I was so unbelievably excited about this fic. I loved writing it, I couldn't wait to see it posted... I just love it to sparkly little bits. I loved the band I created (boy do I wish they existed) and coming up with song titles and everything. I hope you all enjoy this too!

He had never planned for this. All he needed was a new lead singer. His closest childhood friend had finally made the decision to pack up and try his chances with some of his crew in LA. Kame didn’t blame him at all, it had been clear that his tastes in music had been drifting more and more towards hip hop and R&B over the last few years. He just wasn’t very interested in the mixture of harsh chords and lilting melodies that Kame preferred to write. While Jin had spent his free time studying English and checking out the American club music scene, Kame had delved deeper into European glam rock. They had all parted on good terms and wished each other the best of luck. He missed having Jin to pal around with, of course, but he was just an e-mail away.

The rest of the group was still dedicated to their sound, they all agreed that they wanted Stardust to keep making music together. They just needed a new lead singer. Their first meeting on the subject was less than productive. Ueda had tugged his lacy black sleeves down over his hands and repeated his opinion that Kame should step up.

“I mean, you’re already the leader. You play lead guitar and write almost all of our music. Shouldn’t you get the chance to be the front man for real?” The keyboardist and occasional rhythm guitarist pointed out reasonably, tucking a lock of inky black hair behind his ear.

Toma nodded enthusiastically, absent-mindedly twirling a drumstick in graceful fingers. “Seriously, Kame. You work harder than the rest of us combined. You can’t say you wouldn’t welcome a little more of the spotlight, right?”

“Some of us work _plenty_ hard, thank you!” Jun put his two cents in, “Not that I don’t love playing bass, but I think I could still do that and step up to lead vocals. I _know_ I have the right look.”

Kame couldn’t deny that their bassist’s sleek, glossy perfection matched their sound just right. Jun was certainly comfortable with the attention. He was usually quick to point out that the bass player was always _everyone’s_ favorite.

“Do shut up, Jun-kun.” Ueda rolled his eyes and ignored the bassist’s frigid glare. “We all know that while your back-up vocals are great, you are not up to the kind of lead melodies that Kame writes.”

“I can totally sing those songs!” Kame was surprised that Jun’s statement wasn’t punctuated with a petulant foot-stamp, but the other man’s body language read irate princess, hip cocked and arms crossed.

Toma just smiled calmly at him, “Ummm, no.”

“Hey! We’re friends, you’re supposed to back me up!” 

The drummer nodded and patted Jun’s shoulder, “Dude, buds are honest with each other. You can’t do it.”

Jun glowered but let the issue slide, settling himself down on a folding chair in their practice space with a small huff. “You honestly don’t want it, Kame?”

He really didn’t. “That’s not where I belong. I’m happy on lead guitar and writing the music requires a lot of me. I think the sound would suffer if I tried to do more than that.”

“So we need to hold auditions.” Ueda concluded.

“Unless anyone knows someone who might be good?” Toma asked hopefully but the other three just shook their heads.

“Auditions it is.” Jun declared. “I’ll make some posters and get the word out on the grapevine: Stardust needs a lead vocalist. Is a month enough time to get a good turn-out?”

Kame nodded and looked around at his friends, trying to seem more confident than he felt. All they needed was someone who could sing and wouldn’t try to change their sound. He guessed it wouldn’t hurt if the guy already fit in with the group’s flamboyant glitter-rock image but that was something they could work on.

Two days into auditions and Kame was wondering if maybe it wouldn’t be easier to find a lead guitarist instead. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad singing lead... it wouldn’t be ideal but he was willing to do just about anything to keep the group together.

Ueda’s face was almost totally obscured by large, dark sunglasses but Kame could tell by the set of his shoulders and the restless tapping of graceful fingers against the table that he was irritated by the showing so far. Toma would shift in his chair every other performer or so, raking a hand through his shaggy brown hair and sighing. On his other side, Jun was doing very little to disguise his displeasure which increased with each additional clearly unsuitable candidate. Kame was trying desperately to keep his own expression neutral.

“How about the last guy?” Toma asked. “He wasn’t _so_ bad.”

“Akira-no-last-name-like-the-badass-movie? He wasn’t so bad?” Jun sniped back viciously. “Please, he was so uninspiring.”

Jun had a point, the last kid could sing pretty well actually, but he had next to no stage presence, no more personal pull than the combini clerk next door. Which, upon reflection, he might be. Kame sighed and resisted the urge to bury his face in his arms. “We still have a bunch of people to hear today, guys. Let’s try to stay positive.”

Ueda snorted softly but reached over to give Kame a comforting pat on the back. Toma called out to their next person to come in and they all steeled themselves for another bout of disappointment.

The boy stepped onto the livehouse stage like he owned it. He was decked out in _tight_ grey jeans, fashionably scuffed combat boots, and a skull-printed t-shirt that was eerily similar to the one Kame had put on that morning. He didn’t know that you could get them decorated with that many rhinestones. The kid’s neck and wrists were cuffed in black, silver-studded leather, he was wearing just enough black eye-liner, his dark hair was artfully mussed. He waited until he was in the middle of the stage to look up at them, posed dramatically in the spotlight as he raised his eyes to Kame’s.

His eyes were dark, the expression in them would have knocked Kame back a step had he been standing. He looked sharp and hungry, like he was barely containing a whirlwind of energy. He looked perfect. Kame dimly registered Jun’s low whistle and Ueda’s softly muttered ‘Well, ok then’.

The boy inclined his head towards them and introduced himself simply as Tegoshi Yuya. He slipped an unmarked disc into the cd player set up on the stage and stepped up to the mic. He used the moment of silence as the machine whirred to life to take a breath, eyes closed and face tipped up to the light looking for all the world like he was meditating, or praying. The first chords rang out and like an invisible hand flipped an invisible switch, the kid was _on_.

His voice was strong and resonant, handling the dips and swirls of the melody with ease Kame would have liked to close his eyes and concentrate on that sound but he found himself unable to look away. Jin had always been a sexy performer, all liquid smooth hips and carefree smirks, but his energy had been subtle and sleek like a hunting cat. This kid had all of that come hither allure and about three times the energy. He was singing someone else’s song but he wasn’t trying to copy the original singer’s style, the small portion of Kame’s rational mind that was still processing was pleased to note.

Maybe it was because he was well known, (to people who knew of them at least), as the person who more or less finalized decisions about the group but the kid had barely taken his eyes off of him. It seemed like every rhythmic flick of a wrist, every hard quirk of pink lips, every bright flash in those dark eyes was directed towards him. Kame was sure he was being paranoid but he still felt the kid’s gaze on him like a physical thing, making him overly warm and a little flustered.

The song came to a halt and the kid struck his final pose, one slender hand gripping the mic stand, the other fist reaching upwards in a gesture of triumph, of challenge. He looked at them for another few seconds, eyes hard, seeming to dare them to tell him he wasn’t star material before curving his lips up in a bright smile and bowing politely.

Kame silently held up a finger in the universal gesture of ‘one moment please’ and turned to find the others already caught up in a hailstorm of whispers.

“Well, I loved him.” Ueda stated firmly.

Jun tsked quietly, “Of course you did, he sang a Gackt song!”

“Yes, but he did it _really_ well. Although not as well as Gackt-san” the keyboardist tacked on hurriedly.

Toma’s reaction was blessedly succinct. “He was fucking awesome, let’s find out when he can start.”

Jun nodded his agreement but slanted his eyes over to Kame to gauge his reaction.

“I think we could really have something good here guys but-”

“But?” Ueda inquired softly, “After two days of total crap, there’s a ‘but’?”

Kame frowned slightly, “I just want to make sure he’s a perfect fit for us.” _And I’m a little weirded out by the fact that I find it really hard to stop looking at him_ he did not add aloud. “All of the equipment is set up, I think we should ask him to run through one of our songs with us.”

“That’s fair,” Jun agreed, “It’s not like he won’t have to learn them eventually if he joins.”

Kame turned back to the boy who had been waiting with a pleasant smile, no doubt enjoying watching their hushed conference. “Um, Tegoshi-kun, do you know any of our songs?”

The smile shifted into a satisfied, almost smug grin, Tegoshi’s eyes glowed as he nodded, still looking at Kame, only at Kame. His speaking voice dropped half an octave as he purred, “Oh yes. I’m quite familiar with your work.”

Ueda couldn’t quite stifle his chuckle at Kame’s poleaxed expression, “I wonder if he knows he doesn’t need to sleep with you to get the job.” Toma and Jun snickered. Kame couldn’t smack all of them without being obvious so he let it slide _for now_.

“Tegoshi-kun, we’d like you to sing with us. We need to hear how you sound on one of our songs.

The kid nodded enthusiastically and Kame tried not to notice his smile as they all trooped to the stage to get set up. Kame felt better behind his guitar, more focused and a little more in control. He looked at Ueda and considered, “Let’s try Wild Blue.” Ueda’s brows shot up. It wasn’t one of their very well known songs and not the easiest to sing by a long shot. Kame just arched a brow in response and Ueda shrugged one shoulder, _it’s your show_. 

Toma counted them off and they launched into the song, vocals came in after a few bars and the guitar opening. Kame watched Tegoshi’s face as he listened to the intro, eyes closed again he looked serious, not at all nervous. He loved this song; loved the driving back beat, the scream of the guitar melody, but most of all he loved the vocals, the melody that dipped and spun and soared. He held his breath as his hands swooped down into the run that lead into the vocals.

Tegoshi came in just right. His performance was flawless without seeming robotic. It was clear he had heard them play this before, he knew what Jin had sounded like singing this song and he wasn’t trying to sound like Jin. He was keeping all of the best elements of Jin’s performances and making them his own, he was adding new things. He launched fearlessly into the chorus and all Kame knew was that at that moment was that this must be what it feels like to fly.

When the song ended with one last, ringing chord they all tried to remember how to breathe. Kame didn’t need to look around him to confirm what the others were thinking. He gently placed his guitar back in its stand and extended a hand to Tegoshi, pushing the boy’s bright eyes and exhilaration-flushed cheeks to the back of his mind, “Welcome to Stardust. We’re looking forward to working with you.”

From the first moment he had heard his words on Tegoshi’s lips Kame knew that there would be no getting rid of him now.

~~~ 

They had their first show with the new line-up a month later. Tegoshi hadn’t been kidding when he told them he was familiar with their catalogue; he knew just about every song they had ever played including some covers they had done of songs written by friends of theirs. Things weren’t perfect of course, they still needed time and practice to adjust to each others’ nuances, to tweak the arrangements in order to set off the new vocals. Not perfect, but they were rapidly approaching it with each additional hour of rehearsal. They could barely keep the smiles off their faces, even Jun who usually tried to play it cool and a little aloof was grinning like an excited kid. Kame was pretty sure they haven’t had this much fun since the early days, when being in a band and practicing for hours on end was still new and incredibly thrilling,

Tegoshi was having no problems fitting in, he charmed Toma and the more prickly Jun effortlessly. Jun mentioned the other day that he and Tegoshi had been out carousing until all hours and Kame nodded politely, sure that he would never be interested in the specifics of what those two might get up to at 2:30 in the morning. Ueda seemed to have adopted Tegoshi as a little brother of sorts he let Tegoshi ramble at him and ruffled his hair, Tegoshi had a lovely laugh Kame couldn’t help but notice.

Kame was irritated to learn that the younger man really as attractive as he seemed. If he had just been a pretty and talented, but brainless doll this wouldn’t be a problem. Tegoshi was every bit as interesting and intelligent as he was physically appealing. Kame learned that he was putting himself through college, taking on-line courses in Psychology. Maybe that was why he always felt like Tegoshi was reading his mind with those penetrating stares of his.

Simple lust he could have dealt with. It was problematic how much he _liked_ Tegoshi. He just couldn’t date someone in the group. It wasn’t an option. It was the kind of thing that tore groups apart. If the relationship turned sour, it made it difficult to work together afterwards. Hell, even if it went well things could go bad, petty jealousy and rampant favoritism never helped a band thrive. He and Jin used to be an item, back in school, before the group. When they had decided to start a band they spent a long, heart-wrenching evening talking it over and came to the mutual conclusion that they could either date or build a group but not both.

Kame stood by their decision. It wasn’t easy but Stardust meant so much more to him than some passing moments of pleasure. He and Jin were still friends and the band was doing well, moving on. This shouldn’t be so difficult. He didn’t even know for sure what Tegoshi was thinking. Just because he sought him out to talk, fixed him infuriatingly sexy smiles, followed him with his eyes didn’t mean Tegoshi was interested in him sexually. He could be straight. Kame closed his eyes and took a deep breath, repeating his new mantra: he could be straight. If he just concentrated on the music, he would be fine.

~~~

Stardust’s first show with their new singer was in a livehouse they knew well. They’d played there close to regularly before and they were comfortable with the space, the crowds. The owner was good friends with Jun and Toma and was more than happy to hype up their triumphant return to the live music circuit. An hour before they went on and the place was packed.

Tegoshi sat proprietorially close to him on the green room couch, completely relaxed and more than happy to invade Kame’s personal space. When he leaned down to grab a water bottle Kame could smell his fruity shampoo and the spicy tang of cologne. He resisted the urge to sit on his hands to keep from touching him. He wasn’t sure if he did whether he would end up pushing him away or pulling him into his lap. It was probably best not to tempt fate.

Just before they stepped onto the stage, Tegoshi caught his arm and held him back for a moment. His eyes were soft and serious, “I just want you to know that no matter what happens tonight, you’ve made my dreams come true. Thank you.” And before Kame could respond, Tegoshi flashed him a smile and strode out into the lights. The only thing left for him to do was follow.

Kame had held back in rehearsals, not wanting to respond to flirtations, those wicked little smiles, his body language, his eyes hot and dark watching him play. But once they were live on the stage, the blood boiled and the chords rang out and there was no stopping him now. Tegoshi was working the crowd mercilessly, throwing his head back, rolling his hips. strutting around to interact with the other members. Kame could see everything so clearly, Tegoshi playfully bumping his hip against Jun’s after the bass solo on ‘A Poison in the Blood’, egging Toma on with his fist in the air while the drummer tore up the syncopated beat of ‘Wicked Eyes’, leaning into Ueda’s shoulder eyes closed as he wailed the bridge of one of the ballads.

There was no room for hesitation or doubt or jealousy up here. Besides, Tegoshi saved his best moves for Kame. On stage he let himself lean into Tegoshi’s hand on his shoulder, reveling in that perfect voice singing in his ear; he returned every smile in full with a smirk and a screaming riff. They moved around each other like every twist of their hips and toss of their hair was choreographed, totally theatrical but repeated often enough to be natural.

They burned through their set and left the crowd screaming for more. With another group scheduled after them there was only time for a brief encore. Although he felt like they could have played all night, it was always better to leave the crowd hungry. The five of them tumbled off stage in a exuberant tumble, all bright eyes and arms slung over shoulders. Tegoshi caught him off-guard, still riding the performance high as they headed back through the close corridors to the green room. The younger man plucked at his sleeve and caught him up in a fierce hug when he turned. He couldn’t deny the other man a congratulatory hug, that would have been rude. It was only a step to the nearest wall, Tegoshi pressed his shoulders back against it with surprising strength.

He had barely drawn breath for a question when Tegoshi made his intent quite clear. Those pretty pink lips were exactly as soft as they looked. It was too late to stop the kiss and it couldn’t happen again, so no one could fault him for enjoying it just a little, right? Teogshi’s mouth was hot and insistent on his, pressing soft kisses to his lips again and again, pulling back just enough to flick the tip of his tongue against the seam. Kame’s rational brain shut down very quickly, the hands that he had balled up at his sides drifted up to grasp Tegoshi’s shoulders as his knees turned to jelly.

He parted his lips just a little and Tegoshi invaded, hot and possessive and Kame was distantly aware of one of them whimpering pitifully in the back of their throat. One of those elegant hands slid into his hair to cup the back of his head and Tegoshi was pressing forward, crowding him against the wall and _god_ their hips fit perfectly against each other and he had to stop this now. Tegoshi broke the kiss, leaving both of them panting for air, leaning in to nuzzle the line of Kame’s jaw.

“Stop. Tegoshi, you have to stop.”

The other man looked adorably confused, cheeks lightly flushed and it was all Kame could do not to reach out and pull him back in. “Why?”

“We can’t do this.” His voice came out low and a little breathless. He didn’t even sound convincing to himself but he continued anyway. “We’re band-mates, we can’t have any kind of-” he gestured helplessly between them to indicate whatever tangle of bodies and emotions might be have been forming, “this.” Some word-smith he was.

He saw the flash of disappointment in Tegoshi’s eyes right before the determination set in and that was his cue to run. Kame knew that if he didn’t it would take very little effort on Tegoshi’s part to keep him there. He tried to make his apology clear in his eyes before he pushed Tegoshi back gently and took off down the hall.

Ueda called him on it later, of course. The jerk waited until Kame had taken a long swallow of his beer to be nosy. “You looked downright spooked earlier. What, was the kid a horrible kisser? I don’t believe you two didn’t click. Watching you on stage I was surprised you didn’t go at it right up there during the encore.”

Kame sputtered a little, coughing on Kirin and trying not to look guilty. “He kissed me. I let it go on longer than it should have. I told him we couldn’t and pushed him away.”

The laconic keyboardist reached out and smacked him on the back of the head.

“Ow!”

“You are such an idiot.” Ueda said mildly.

“I have reason! Good reasons! Have you completely forgotten what happened to Yano? Not only did his girl leave him but she took his _entire group_ with her!”

Ueda scoffed softly, “This is a totally different situation and you know it. It’s not you and Jin over again either. Besides which, you can’t keep avoiding him forever, Kame. He’s in the band now. You’ll be sharing the same small stages, cramped green rooms, tour vans, group showers... you might as well just give in now and screw the kid.” He looked thoughtful, tapping a slim finger against his cheek. “Or let him screw you. I’m not entirely sure how that works for you. Nor do I want to know!” 

Kame tried valiantly to drown himself in his beer. Ueda continued obliviously, “It just means more cute groupies for me....and Toma I suppose.

“What about cute groupies like Tegoshi?” Kame shot back wryly.

The keyboardist’s face lit up in a bright smile, “Jun can have them.”

Kame groaned and signaled the bartender for many more drinks.

~~~

It wasn’t until later that night when it occurred to Kame that he could have damaged the balance of the group just as much by refusing Tegoshi. Greeting his haggard reflection after a mostly sleepless night he concluded that Ueda might have a point when he insisted that Kame worried too much. He couldn’t get it out of his mind, feeling jumpy and unsettled until he got to talk to Tegoshi about it.

He cornered the other man later that week after practice, eyes cast down fixed on Tegoshi’s slender fingers moving through basic chords on a beat-up acoustic.

“I know it’s not because you don’t like me.” Tegoshi began matter-of-factly. “No offense but you’re not that great an actor.”

Kame sighed and walked through his logic again, asserted his decision, trying to make Tegoshi see, trying to convince himself.

Tegoshi’s voice was soft and solemn but not at all upset. He set the guitar aside and crossed the room to stand in front of Kame, forcing him to look up, to meet his eyes. “I need you, Kame.”

Kame shook his head to clear it, “No, you need the spotlight. You need the adulation of the fans, the screams of the maddening crowds, which you have already. You have me as a bandmate already, you don’t really need anything else from me.”

His eyes were so dark, his expression open and earnest. “I need you more than anyone.” He worried the corner of his bottom lip in even teeth, it was the closest to nervous Kame had ever seen him. “Why do you think I sought this group out in the first place? I wanted you to notice me, I wanted you to _see_ me. More than any other person, I want you watching me.”

That just didn’t compute, he wasn’t the kind of musician that had people throwing themselves at his feet. “Then it’s just because of the group, the music, right?”

“It was at first. I fell for your music a long time ago, but it’s different now that I’ve gotten to know _you_. We’d be good together, I know you see that.”

He did. He could see it so clearly, and he still couldn’t make himself believe it would be ok.

Tegoshi chuckled softly and he looked up, confused. He has expected anger or frustration, anything but the quiet confidence that settled over Tegoshi like a mantle. “It’s ok,” he informed Kame, patting his shoulder, hand hot through Kame’s shirt, leaving his skin tingling where he touched it. “I’ve always enjoyed a challenge.” He shot a confused Kame a very cocky grin on his way out the door, “See you on Wednesday!”

He was sure that wasn’t the way that conversation was supposed to go. But Tegoshi was still smiling, things could be worse.

~~~

The next few months were some of the most wonderful and terrible of Kame’s life. He saw Tegoshi nearly every day and the singer never seemed to run out of new and effective methods of torturing him. Smoldering glances, exceptionally tight pants, and exaggerated moaning during songs were only a few of the weapons in his arsenal. It didn’t help that the other guys found the whole situation incredibly entertaining and didn’t bother to conceal their amusement at Kame’s constant discomfiture. The last time Jun was really drunk he’d let slip the details of the betting pool but by that point, Kame was too resigned to be really pissed off; he just rolled his eyes and shoved Jun just enough to unbalance his bar stool dumping the man and his designer linen slacks on the grimy floor.

Kame still enjoyed spending time with Tegoshi. He found him both maddeningly attractive and really comfortable, it was an odd mix. Some nights they would just be hanging out talking about music or the news and it was nothing more than good conversation until Tegoshi leaned in close to say something like, ‘I like the way you move your hands on your guitar when you play. When I touch myself I pretend it’s you.’, perfectly calm like he was talking about the weather.

And now when he jerked off he was thinking about Tegoshi jerking off thinking about him. That was probably more than a little fucked up, but it didn’t stop him from coming so hard he nearly blacked out.

As much as it irritated him, Tegoshi was good for his songwriting. He hadn’t been so prolific since he has first started, the words and phrases flooded his mind waking and sleeping. The only time his notebook and pocket recorder left his bag was when they migrated to his bedside table at night ready for him to wake up from half-remembered dreams of pale skin and dark hair frustrated but inspired. The guys were nice enough not to give him a _very_ hard time about the fact that his new material was liberally laced with sensual imagery and doomed romances. 

“Am I the siren who lures men to their bloody, watery ends, dashed against the rocks for the sake of hearing a few more honeyed notes from my throat?” Tegoshi teased, eyes dancing. “I think I’ll take that as a compliment.

“I really like ‘Clockwork Soul’ Kame, but man this guy sounds like he really needs to get laid” Toma informed him with a grin, brandishing the lyrics sheet while Ueda snickered into his sleeve. Jun gave him innocent eyes and made a show of pulling out his day-planner to check the date. Kame studiously ignored them all. It was hard to mind too much when the fans went crazy over the new material.

~~~~

They had been doing well for themselves since they brought Tegoshi on. Very well. For the most part, their older fans accepted the changes in the line-up and continued to support them. Every new show, every different livehouse they saw slightly bigger crowds, new faces; word of mouth was very good to them.

Kame wasn’t completely surprised when they were approached after a show by a man whose sleek suit stuck out like a sore thumb in the jeans, boots, and leather crowd of the club. His name was Sakurai and he was the executive in charge of scouting talent for the upcoming Tokyo Bay Music Fest. He had heard of them from a few different sources, he said. He had been to see a few of their shows. He thought they had what it took to play to crowds of thousands as part of the festival line-up. It was a dream chance, Kame made a show of listening to the terms of the offer but they all knew they would taking the gig.

They threw themselves into preparation in the weeks leading up to the festival. Polishing new songs, perfecting the older ones. Tegoshi actually toned down his tormenting something for which Kame was profoundly grateful, he found the singer damnably distracting and they needed all of their focus for this. They were all painfully aware that this could make or break their careers. If they were a hit it would almost certainly lead to more big venue shows, maybe even a shot at a studio album.

Kame hadn’t been nervous about performing since the early days but he was nervous now. They were all crowded into one of the stage wings watching a pop group called Bad Luck just ahead of them in the line-up perform. The lead singer was cute and seemed to know how to endear himself to the crowd. Thankfully their music was quite different, harder, faster, and more showy. There shouldn’t be much comparison between them.

He flicked his eyes to the side, watching Tegoshi watch the other singer, eyes narrowed in concentration. No doubt he was planning exactly how to blow the bubblegum boy out of the water. Tegoshi caught him watching and smirked, giving him a playful wink. The stage fright butterflies in his stomach morphed into something entirely different, something darker, fluttering down onto the wire of tension strung between him and Tegoshi.

The other act had finished, the stage had been cleared and set up again. They were having their pre-show huddle psyching themselves up for the performance of their lives. Kame could tell that no one was relaxed but it was a good energy, a not quite frantic feeling that he knew they could push out to encompass the audience, to get the crowd going. It was all fierce grins and few words at this stage, they all knew what they had to do and they were chomping at the bit.

At the last possible second Tegoshi ran a hand through Kame’s hair, letting his painted nails trail lightly over his ear in a casually possessive gesture. The singer smiled before he stepped out, eyes glowing dark and Kame shivered. He would make the introduction, he was the last one out on stage. He waited a breath, then two before striding over to his mic. He registered that there were thousands of people watching him, he felt the weight of the crowd on him as he picked up his guitar, as his voice rang out over the sound system, like a low buzz from a long way off. But the only gaze that meant anything to him was Tegoshi’s. The singer’s attention crackled down his spine like a phantom touch.

It was the best performance of Kame’s life. Probably of all their lives. When he thought about it, the moments all ran together like a movie on fast-forward, or a highlight tape with all of the best moments clipped out and edited together. Except they were all best moments. Their sound was assertive, their harmonies tight, there were enough fans in the audience who knew them to sing along with some of the older songs. The new ones were met with nothing but screams of approval.

They couldn’t stop looking at each other, trading elated smirks and cheering each other on when one of them did something particularly amazing. Jun was cool and lovely and perfect; the untouchable prince in purple and black, laying down the bass with nimble fingers. Toma came to life with an energy Kame had never seen, an animal behind his drum kit. He had swapped out his usual black t-shirt for a black leather vest and the new look was really working for him, lending his friendly grin an edge of danger. Ueda’s vocals were stronger than they had ever been he looked beautiful and mysterious in black lace, his graceful hands dancing over multiple keyboards.

And Tegoshi... Tegoshi was electric.

Tegoshi worked the crowd like he was born to do it, and maybe he was. They hung on every musically belted, whispered, and moaned word. He was dressed in supple gunmetal pants that shimmered in the lights with every sinuous twist of his hips, his simple white shirt skimmed his torso the top few buttons undone to show off the silver collar around his neck. He looked like a captive angel and Kame wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch him.

The singer absolutely knew it. He knew Kame couldn’t resist him here and he made the most of it, sashaying over to Kame and holding his mic up to Kame’s lips so he could sing the chorus along with the screaming masses, slinging an arm around his shoulders or twining around his waist while he tore through a solo. When the bridge of ‘Labyrinthine Heart’ (which Tegoshi absolutely knew Kame wrote about him) came around he got right up in Kame’s face, close enough for their noses to touch, close enough for them to kiss and wailed the lines, his lips barely brushing Kame’s with every word.

He danced backwards whipping his head to the side, flinging his bangs out of his eyes, gaze locked onto Kame’s. He rolled his hips and licked his mouth lasciviously as the crowd roared its approval. They ended their set to the riotous cheers of the audience, the applause ringing in their ears but all Kame could register was the lithe form of Tegoshi pressed up against his side, fingers tightly wound through his.

They barely made it off the stage before Kame snapped, hands buried in Tegoshi’s dark hair pulling him over to a dark corner, muttering against his lips. “You were obscene out there.”

Tegoshi’s smirk was completely self-satisfied even as he panted breathily, “Yeah. Finally gonna do something about it?” The singer freed one arm from where they were wrapped around Kame’s waist to run nails down his back, tingling through Kame’s thin, sweat-soaked shirt. The singer’s eyes glittered in the low light, Kame might look like he was in control but there was no question who was leading the dance here. All of those sandbags he has spent so many months stockpiling, shoring up his emotional flood gates came crashing down; he was helpless, caught in the wake of Hurricane Tegoshi.

Tegoshi threw his head back baring his throat when Kame growled and pulled him closer still. He couldn’t resist such a friendly invitation and he sunk his teeth in, worrying the soft skin at the juncture of Tegoshi’s neck and shoulder, enjoying the singer’s soft cry and the pretty mark blooming on pale skin just below the silver collar. Tegoshi squirmed in his hold, not trying to get away, just enjoying the feeling of their bodies rubbing through their clothes and Kame couldn’t hold back a low moan. They were both hard, of course they were, he wondered if he had been this worked up the entire performance. It would be so very easy for them to get off quick and dirty right out in the open and while the thought wasn’t unappealing, Kame figured if he was going to break all of his rules he might as well go for the gusto.

He pulled Tegoshi away from the wall, pleased that the other man looked at least close to as dazed as Kame himself felt. The others had gone ahead of them to one of the shared ready rooms with knowing grins and waggled eyebrows that Kame chose to ignore. All they needed was somewhere that was a little more private, away from the streams of musicians and crew scurrying back and forth through the crowded corridors.

Tegoshi picked a door seemingly at random and pushed it open, lighting up when it revealed a small private dressing room that appeared to be completely unused and more importantly, was capable of being locked from the inside. Kame just shook his head at Tegoshi’s incredible luck and let himself be tugged swiftly inside. He was shoved up against the opposite wall with a soft ‘ooph’, eyes snapped wide as Tegoshi gracefully sank to his knees with a wicked smirk.

His breath caught in his throat as Tegoshi’s hands went straight for his belt. He was practically clawing the wall when Tegoshi yanked his jeans down roughly only to trail his fingers light and teasingly back up over Kame’s confined erection. The singer smiled up at him, eyes warm and amused, Kame watched desire flash in them like heat lightning when he twined a hand in Teogshi’s silky hair and tugged sharply. Tegoshi leaned forward to mouth at the leaking tip of Kame’s cock through his briefs, and he didn’t bother to contain his frantic groan.

“ _Yes_ ” Tegoshi moaned, the sound vibrating against his sensitive flesh, “I love the way you sound. Don’t hold back.”

He wanted to tell him that Tegoshi made sounds that were far more compelling but his words were lost, scattered beyond retrieval when the singer tugged the last of the cloth barriers away to lap at the head of his cock. He could only whimper as Tegoshi surged forward, sinking that hot, talented mouth onto him. Tegoshi worked him over expertly, one hand squeezing the base of Kame’s cock as he licked up the length of it, trailing the nails of his other hand lightly over his balls, down Kame’s thigh, making him shiver.

As much as he would love to just let go and finish Tegoshi the same way, he wanted more. He gently pushed Tegoshi off of him and was rewarded with a gasp and an approving smile as he pulled the other man to his feet and reversed their positions, pressing Tegoshi into the wall, taking his mouth roughly. Their hands flew to the buttons and clasps of their remaining clothes, kicking off and tossing garments with abandon. Kame struggled with the last button of Tegoshi’s shirt and just tugged harder in lieu of removing his tongue from Tegoshi’s mouth; he vaguely registered a ripping sound and Tegoshi’s answering gasp.

He stepped back just enough to drink in the picture Tegoshi made, dressed only in his silver jewelry, beautifully flushed, chest heaving, skin luminous in the dim backstage light. The singer tilted his chin up in challenge even as he looked at Kame, eyes just as greedy, “C’mon Kazuya, you’re not going to back down now.” He spread his legs and dropped a hand to fondle the soft skin of his inner thigh, making himself gasp, “Take what you want.”

Kame groaned desperately pushed far past the breaking point, swept over the edge by his infuriating fallen angel. He leaned in close, one hand sliding up and down Tegoshi’s cock enjoying the stutter of the singer’s breath against his neck. “Do you think there’s something here we can use?”

“Left side pocket of my pants” Tegoshi moaned. He shrugged when Kame crouched down to pull out the foil packets and lifted a sardonic eyebrow. “What! It was wishful thinking. Which you should totally be grateful for.”

The guitarist chuckled, “I’m more surprised that you could get anything between the material of those things and your skin.”

Tegoshi grinned, “Just talented, I guess.”

Kame lost no time ripping open the first packet and rubbing a slick finger against Tegoshi’s opening. The singer wrapped a leg up and around Kame’s hip, spreading himself open for Kame’s questing touch. He made encouraging noises against Kame’s neck and he worked one, then two, and finally three fingers into that deliciously tight heat.

At the first touch of the third finger Tegoshi moaned low directly into his ear, “Now, Kame. Enough, I want you to fuck me into the wall. Do it hard, make me feel it for days.”

He should have known Tegoshi would be a talker but he wasn’t prepared for the way all of those filthy words in that velvet voice went straight to his cock, making his vision swim. They were about the same height so it was easy to slide his hand down Tegoshi’s leg, hitching it higher on his hip while he lined his slicked cock up with Tegoshi’s entrance. His inner sadist was pleased with the way Tegoshi whimpered piteously when he paused with the hot head of his cock brushing Tegoshi’s opening, moving his hips minutely in teasing nudges. “You’re _evil_ ,” Tegoshi gasped, sounding more than a little admiring.

Kame’s chuckle sounded dark and rich in his own ears, “You’ve been torturing me for _months_. This is nothing.”

But the singer was past arguing, tossing his head helplessly and trying to buck his hips forward against Kame’s restraining hand. Kame enjoyed his struggle for another few moments before gripping him hard and sinking into him, burying himself to the hilt. Their moans echoed off of the concrete walls in perfect harmony.

They were both past teasing now. Kame drove his hips forward hard and deep, changing his angle just a little each time looking for that perfect angle. He knew when he found it, Tegoshi’s whole body clamping down on him, gasp loud and gratifying in his ear. He started steady and increased his pace gradually, burying himself in Tegoshi over and over again, making a low noise deep in his throat with every thrust. Tegoshi kept up a steady stream of filthy words, suggestions, curses, pleas, and Kame’s name all mingling, beautiful music to Kame’s ears.

He pressed closer when Tegoshi’s words broke down into hitching moans, taking the sounds right off of the younger man’s tongue. He felt Tegoshi tighten around him and knew he was close to breaking. He thrust in deep and swiveled his hips pressing against that spot over and over in rapid succession. Tegoshi trembled in his arms, coming with the softest exhalation of his name. He didn’t last much longer, giving himself fully over to the pleasure of Tegoshi hot and tight and perfect around him as his orgasm raced like lightning down his spine, lighting up his nerves, his vision flashing white. He came with a desperate groan.

Kame could have been content to stay just like that, wrapped up in Tegoshi’s arms amidst the wreckage of their clothing, pressing him into a cinder-block wall but he imagined it was rather less comfortable for his partner. He disengaged himself as gently as possible and pulled Tegoshi back in close for a soft kiss.

Tegoshi smiled at him and it was dazzling, bright and brilliant like staring into the sun. “See?” he quipped, sounding far more coherent than Kame felt. “I told you so!” Kame smacked his face down into his palm and pretended not to enjoy the silvery peals of Tegoshi’s laughter.

~~~~

For months Kame was walking on egg shells, just waiting for his group or his relationship (or with his luck, both) to come crashing down around him. But both areas of his life persisted in doing well. Capitalizing on their success at the music festival, Stardust landed their first record deal with a label that specialized in groups that straddled the more mainstream j-rock/visual kei divide. Their first sessions in the studio had been odd and exhilarating.

Kame informed Tegoshi that if they were going to be together it would have to be serious, not just fooling around. Tegoshi responded by literally leaping into his arms, tackling him in a overjoyed hug. The rest of the group remained thoroughly amused at Kame’s predicament.

He had never planned for this. Never thought that he would be taken over, rolled under by a boy with an incandescent smile and a porn star’s hips. But if pressed, he would admit that he really didn’t mind. Even now, in the middle of the night he was inspired; the lovely lines of Tego’s face perfectly highlighted by silvery moonlight, the slide of Tego’s smooth skin against his sparking his senses and kicking his mind into gear. His fingers itched for a pen as fragments of lyrics and the beginning of a sinuous melody burned glittering trails through his brain.

Tegoshi would laugh at him the next day when he woke up with lines of poetry scribed on his arm in cheap hotel ballpoint but Kame knew he wouldn’t hesitate to help decipher the midnight scrawl and make his own suggestions along the way. Together they would create another song, make more music, add more fuel to the glowing thing between them... and it would shine.


End file.
